Patent application title: System and Method of Express Purchasing

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Abstract:

This invention relates to a system and method of express purchasing
comprising a receptacle for holding items for purchase; a scaling area
capable of weighing said receptacle before items are placed inside and
after shopping for items is complete; means for identifying items for
purchase; means for remote purchasing; and a central computer linking
said means for identifying items for purchase to said means for remote
purchasing and said scaling area. This system and method provides for a
much expedited manner of shopping and checking out so that a customer
avoids long lines to purchase items.

Claims:

1. A system for providing express purchasing of items comprising: a
receptacle for holding items for purchase; a security area for ensuring
items in receptacle are the items purchased; a device equipped with
application software for identifying items for purchase and for remote
purchasing; and a central computer linking said device for identifying
items for purchase to said device for remote purchasing and said security
area.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein said receptacle is a cart or basket.

3. The system as in claim 1 wherein the security area is a scaling area
for of weighing said receptacle before items are placed inside and after
shopping for items is complete.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said scaling area is a flat pad scale or
other ground level scaling means.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said device for identifying items for
purchase and for remote purchasing is a cell phone, personal digital
assistant, or a tablet computer equipped with a reader associated with a
corresponding tag identification identifier.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said device for identifying items for
purchase and remote purchasing is a cell phone, personal digital
assistant, or a tablet computer equipped with payment facilities.

7. A method for providing express purchasing of items utilizing a
receptacle for holding items for purchase comprising the steps of:
scanning the receptacle with a device for identifying items for purchase
and remote purchasing utilizing application software; scanning items for
purchase with said device for identifying items for purchase and remote
purchasing utilizing said application software; placing items for
purchase within said receptacle; security for ensuring items in
receptacle are items purchased; and completing a purchase utilizing a
central computer linking said device for identifying items for purchase
and remote purchasing to said security for ensuring items in receptacle
are items purchased.

8. The method as in claim 7 wherein said receptacle is a cart or basket.

9. The method as in claim 7 wherein the security for ensuring items in
receptacle are the items purchased includes weighing the receptacle on a
scaling area before and after items are placed inside;

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said scaling area is a flat pad scale
or other ground level scaling means.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said means for identifying items for
purchase and for remote purchasing is a cell phone, personal digital
assistant, or a tablet computer equipped with a reader associated with a
corresponding tag identification identifier.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said means for identifying items for
purchase and for remote purchasing is a cell phone, personal digital
assistant, or a tablet computer equipped with payment facilities.

Description:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable.

NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

[0003] Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO A COMPACT DISC

[0004] Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] This invention elates to the system and method of express
purchasing. While shopping, typically in grocery stores but other stores
may also have this similar problem, long lines are encountered during the
checkout process. A cashier has to manually scan each item which is a
slow and laborious process. This results in a significant loss of a
customer's time and increases stress levels and frustration in customers.
Further some customers may have problems with prices as they are scanned
which further slow a cashier in this process and delay movement of other
customers through the line. When this occurs, customers may leave a store
with a negative opinion of the store and may be deterred from shopping
there in the future. This has the undesirable result of loss of income
for a store.

[0006] Many inventions have been developed to help assist in this problem,
such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,740 ('470) and U.S. Pub. No. 20110036907.
These inventions contemplated affixing a scanning and weighing element
linked to a central computer to a shopping cart so that a customer could
walk through a store and scan the items for purchase while shopping and
prior to checking out. The weighing element acts as a type of security as
it ensures that the item placed in the cart weighs the same as the item
scanned. The customer simply brings a receipt to the checkout counter for
purchase.

[0007] Other inventions require tagging all items with RFID or other
"intelligent" forms of tagging so that a scanner can easily read what is
placed into a cart and a receipt can quickly be generated to speed the
checkout process.

[0008] The problem with many of the known inventions in this field is that
it is expensive for a store to fit all shopping carts with a physical
device for scanning in advance of reaching the checkout line. Stores,
particularly grocery stores or other general stores, are in constant
competition to lower prices and devices that are known to the market are
simply too expensive to integrate. Adapting the above known proposed
devices causes bulky operation for the store and the possibility of
greater monetary loss due to theft of shopping carts (a common event for
stores), therefore the prior art inventions are unlikely to be adopted by
stores. This invention provides for a low cost way to speed the checkout
process for consumers without adding a significant cost burden to the
store.

[0009] The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or
products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as,
statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In
particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is
commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in
the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which
the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] This invention relates to a system and method of express purchasing
comprising a receptacle for holding items for purchase;

[0011] a security means capable of ensuring items in receptacle are the
items purchased; means for identifying items for purchase;

[0012] means for remote purchasing; and

[0013] a central computer linking said means for identifying items for
purchase to said means for remote purchasing and said security means.

[0014] The receptacle for holding items for purchase may be a shopping
cart, basket or other similar receptacle commonly used while shopping.
One skilled in the art will recognize that different stores may have
different needs in a receptacle being used. While this invention will be
described in terms of a shopping cart, commonly used in a grocery store,
one skilled in the art will recognize that any receptacle in any type of
store is anticipated.

[0015] When a customer enters a store, he or she activates the means for
identifying items for purchase. In a preferred embodiment, the means for
identifying items for purchase is a cell phone or similar device that is
equipped with application software ("app") and is able to scan a tag
identifying means, such as a bar code associated with the receptacle.
After the customer scans the tag identifying means and the receptacle is
associated with the customer, the customer is checked through the
security means. While many methods of security are envisioned, one
preferred embodiment takes the customer to a scaling area before shopping
begins. The customer places the receptacle onto the scaling area. This
measures the weight of the receptacle prior to shopping. The scaling area
is equipped with a weight activation sensor so as soon as weight is
sensed, it performs the weighing function. The means for identifying
items for purchase recognizes the weight of the receptacle and stores
this information for later use (during purchasing process). This allows
the customer to have his/her means for identifying items to be associated
with a receptacle and its pre-purchase weight. One skilled in the art
will recognize that other types of means for identifying items for
purchase are contemplated, such as a personal digital assistant ("PDA"),
tablet computers, or other small hand held devices. The means for
identifying items for purchase simply needs to have a capacity to read
information about an item. Further, it is anticipated that the receptacle
may be equipped with a device for holding the means for identifying items
for purchase. While it is anticipated that a customer will bring a means
for identifying items for purchase to the store, it is also anticipated
that the store could provide this device for a customer to use while in
the store.

[0016] The app contained within the means for identifying items for
purchase is software that is linked to a central store computer. Once the
means for identifying items for purchase activates its end of the
software, typically by scanning the tag identifier on the receptacle and
registering an initial weight, the central store computer recognizes that
it is on and capable of operating in conjunction with the central store
computer.

[0017] As a customer shops in a store, he/she selects items for purchase.
Before the items are placed in to the receptacle, the customer uses the
means for identifying items for purchase in order to place the item into
the software for purchase. The items are scanned for a tag identifier
which is associated with the item and holds relevant information about
the items, such as price, weight, or a description of the item. One
skilled in the art will recognize that any information about the item can
be programmed by the store's central computer to appear to a customer
when scanned.

[0018] It is also envisioned that a customer will be able to pre-load a
shopping list to the app that would communicate with the store's central
computer to assist in the shopping process. If a shopping list is
preloaded, the app would help locate items within the store for the
customer. This could be done by sensing where items (using RFID or
similar technology) are located or simply providing aisle locations of
the item.

[0019] The tag identifier may be a Universal Product Code ("UPC"), radio
frequency identifier ("RFID) tags, bar codes or any other similar tagging
mechanism that is capable of being read by the means for identifying
items for purchase.

[0020] After an item is scanned and the customer still wishes to purchase
the item, it is placed into the receptacle. This is repeated for each
item until the customer has concluded his or her shopping. If a customer
no longer wishes to purchase an item, the means for identifying items for
purchase can also be used to delete an item. All of the items that the
customer wishes to purchases are logged in the app, including but not
limited to the item price and weight.

[0021] When a customer has finished shopping and has all of the desired
items scanned and in the receptacle, the customer heads back to the
security means to identify that the items in the receptacle are the items
the customer is purchasing. In one preferred embodiment where a scaling
are is utilized, the customer brings the receptacle back to the scaling
area for a second weighing. This second weighing of the receptacle serves
to confirm the weight of the items and receptacle compared to the weight
of the logged items in the receptacle. This second weighing is an
important security feature to ensure that a customer is being accurately
charged for the items desired to be purchased. Once the central computer
verifies that the data logged within the means for identifying items for
purchase is accurate, the customer proceeds to checkout and purchase the
items.

[0022] Checkout can occur in a variety of manners. The preferred manner of
checkout occurs by a means of remote purchasing. This means for remote
purchasing are preferably incorporated within the application software
within the means for identifying items for purchase. The means for remote
purchasing can utilize a credit card or a debit from a bank account to
complete the purchase. Once payment has been confirmed, the customer is
free to leave the store with the purchased items.

[0023] One skilled in the art will note that it is also possible to
pre-pay for items before shopping so long as the items paid for are
confirmed to be the items in the receptacle by the security means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Possible and preferred features of the present invention will now
be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.
However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and
described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as
limiting on the broad scope of the invention. In the drawings:

[0025] FIG. 1 depicts the empty receptacle prior to initial weigh in.

[0026] FIG. 2 depicts the receptacle on the scaling area and the means for
identifying items.

[0027] FIG. 3 depicts an item being scanned before being placed into the
receptacle.

[0028] FIG. 4 depicts items inside the receptacle on the scaling area for
the final weighing as a customer is about to checkout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] Turning to FIGS. 1-4, a receptacle 2 is chosen by a customer (not
shown) and taken to the security means, depicted as a scaling area 8. The
customer uses the means for identifying items 6 to first identify the
receptacle 2 and then to associate the weight of the receptacle 2. The
means for identifying items 6 is able to associate with a receptacle 2 by
reading a tag identifier 4 on the receptacle. The means for identifying
items runs software 10 that links the customer's means for identifying
items to a store central computer (not shown).

[0030] After a receptacles' 2 weight is recorded within the software 10, a
customer is free to shop for items for purchase 12. Throughout the store,
items have a tag identifier 4 that the means for identifying items for
purchase 6 is able to read. Once the item 12 is read or scanned by the
means for identifying items 6, a customer is able to see the price and
other relevant descriptive information about the item. A customer is able
to see this because the store's central computer stores this information
and allows it to be seen through use of the application software 10. If
the customer desires to buy the item 12, then this is indicated within
the means for identifying items 6 and the item is placed in the
receptacle 2. If the customer does not want to purchase the item, it is
deleted from the means for identifying items. This is repeated over and
over until a customer has completed the shopping.

[0031] After shopping is complete, the customer brings the receptacle 2
back to the scaling area 4 8, as seen in FIG. 4. This post shopping
weight is compared to the weight of the items 12 logged in the means for
identifying items 6 plus the pre-shopping weight of the receptacle 2. If
the weight is measured and found to accurate, the customer proceeds to
checkout.

[0032] Checkout can be attained means for remote purchasing found within
the software contained in the means for identifying items for remote
purchase. The means for remote purchasing may be a credit or debit card
or bank account linked to the software. Once payment is confirmed, a
customer is free to leave the store with the items 12.

[0033] Preferred features of the present invention will now be described
with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to
be understood that the features illustrated in and described with
reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the
scope of the invention.

[0034] Throughout the specification and claims the word "comprise" and its
derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive
meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires
otherwise. That is, the word "comprise" and its derivatives will be taken
to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or
features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or
features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated
or the context requires otherwise.

[0035] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many
modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention
described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.